In the pursuit of sheer performance, a user should aim to combine the ultimate CPU with the ultimate everything else  motherboard, memory, and so on. The latest enthusiast platform to hit our streets is Intels Sandy Bridge-E and X79 chipset, released today.

So to start a series of X79 reviews, we are going to have a look at what the X79 chipset brings to the table over other Intel chipsets, and the first motherboard under our microscope is the ASUS P9X79 Pro, coming in at an RRP of $329.99. Needless to say, this is fairly expensive in the land of motherboards, even when pairing it with a $1000 CPU. However, if previous Intel chipsets are anything to go by, ASUS PRO boards get a lot of attention. So the question becomes Is it worth it? Read on for the full review.